Does Alcohol Cause Inflammation?

You may have heard that red wine can lower your risk of heart disease, but that doesn’t mean that alcohol is good for you. While the polyphenols in red wine may have anti-inflammatory effects, the alcohol in wine — and other alcoholic drinks — can cause damage to the body. 

That’s because alcohol can trigger the formation of free radicals and other harmful substances. Here’s how alcohol can trigger inflammation. 

Does drinking alcohol cause inflammation?

Yes, drinking alcohol can cause inflammation throughout the body.  

Alcohol is broken down into acetaldehyde and acetate by the liver when ingested in small amounts. Both acetaldehyde and acetate can cause inflammation.  

But, when you drink more than 2 standard alcoholic drinks, the body shifts to the microsomal ethanol-oxidizing system (MEOS) to break down alcohol. This pathway produces free radicals as a by-product of breaking down alcohol. Free radicals cause inflammation and can also damage cells and tissue.

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract uses the MEOS system to break down alcohol. This leads to the formation of free radicals in the GI tract and can result in inflammation in the gut. But toxins, like endotoxins and cytokines, can also move from the gut and into the bloodstream. From the bloodstream, these toxins can cause damage in other parts of the body, like the heart and brain.  

More than 5% of cancers are linked to alcohol intake. Alcohol can increase a person’s chances of developing esophagus, liver, breast, colon, and oral cancer. People who drink more alcohol have a higher risk of developing alcohol-related cancer. This is likely due to the fact that drinking more alcohol causes more inflammation in the body. 

Can alcohol make inflammation worse?

Yes, alcohol can make inflammation worse. It may also worsen autoimmune conditions and medical conditions associated with high levels of inflammation. For example, research shows that alcohol can worsen symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease and seasonal allergies. Large amounts of alcohol can also weaken the immune system.  

But, small amounts of alcohol may not worsen autoimmune conditions. In fact, a recent review of research found that low levels of alcohol intake (1 drink or less per day), was linked to lower risk of developing certain autoimmune conditions, including lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• What exactly is inflammation anyway? Inflammation is the body’s natural healing process, but uncontrolled inflammation can lead to damage in the body. 

• How can you fight inflammation? Try adding these anti-inflammatory foods to your diet.

• Smoking causes inflammation, too. Learn how your body heals when you quit smoking. 

If you don’t already drink alcohol, you shouldn’t start drinking to lower your chances of developing an autoimmune condition. People who are living with an autoimmune condition should limit their alcohol intake to avoid triggering inflammation.

The bottom line is that not drinking alcohol is better for your health than drinking in moderation.  

Do certain alcoholic drinks cause more inflammation than others?

Alcoholic drinks with higher ethanol content cause more inflammation than those with lower ethanol content.  

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Moderate red wine intake may lower the risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and other medical conditions. This is likely related to polyphenols in red wine and may explain why beer and spirits (hard alcohol) haven’t been linked to the same health benefits. 

How can you lower your risk of inflammation while drinking alcohol?

You can lower your risk of inflammation by drinking less alcohol or not drinking alcohol at all. 

The CDC recommends drinking in moderation if you’re going to drink alcohol. This means 2 drinks or less per day for men or 1 drink or less per day for women.  

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Written by:

Jennifer Sample, MD

After a fellowship, Dr. Sample worked as the medical director at the University of Kansas Hospital Poison Center (The University Of Kansas Health System Poison Control Center), which served the state of Kansas for poison exposures. In 2007, she returned to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, as a consultant in clinical pharmacology and medical toxicology.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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